Hundreds join to denounce violence, ‘Take Back the Night’

Erin Dostal

UNLV students gather outside the Rando Recital Hall on campus for Take Back the Night, an event meant to raise awareness about sexual violence.

By Erin Dostal (contact)

Friday, Oct. 9, 2009 | 1:19 a.m.

Take Back the Night

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Hundreds of UNLV students and community members gathered Thursday to speak out against sexual violence and raise awareness of abuse during the annual Take Back the Night rally.

“We know that the evening is the most dangerous time for women to be assaulted,” said Andrea Sundberg, executive director of the Nevada Coalition Against Sexual Violence and a participant in the event “to get society to realize that women don’t have the same freedom as men.”

Sundberg, who has been participating in the UNLV’s Take Back the Night for six years, offered an example.

If a girl goes to a bar and is assaulted, people may blame the fact that she was too drunk or was wearing suggestive clothing. They may blame the woman, the victim.

The day of speakers and performances at UNLV ended with a silent march on a candle-lined sidewalk from the university’s student union to the Rando Recital Hall.

“Tonight was amazing,” said UNLV junior Karoline Khamis, who is also the violence prevention coordinator at the school’s Women’s Center. “I like that it takes everybody on an emotional journey.”

The day’s events included a speech by Attorney General Catherine Coretz Masto and a poetry reading by a student group called the Vagina Warriors.

After the candlelight march, participants gathered in the recital hall to listen to the UNLV Women’s Choir, directed by Jocelyn Jensen, perform songs pertinent to the purpose of the night, including “For Good” from the musical “Wicked” and “Fences” by Andre Thomas.

After the concert, participants were invited to share their stories of abuse and hardship. No one spoke.

Still, according to Christina Hernandez, outreach and awareness coordinator for UNLV’s Women’s Center, the day was a great success.

“We’ve never had such a showing,” she said. “We had so much student involvement.”

The event, which started in Belgium in 1976, is now held annually at hundreds of colleges and universities across the United States.

For Hernandez, it was about more than taking back the night. And it wasn’t just about violence against women, either.

It’s meant to be “anti-ism” she said — a statement against sexism, racism, homophobia and other views that can lead to violence against innocent people.

“It’s about reclaiming (the victims’) bodies, their pride,” she said. “Anything that was taken from the at the time of their abuse.”

Discussion: 10 comments so far…

By bdover

10/9/09 at 5:43 a.m.

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"It's meant to be "anti-ism" she said -- a statement against sexism, racism, homophobia and other views that can lead to violence against innocent people."

This is what drives me nuts about drooling liberals, of which I am a proud member. Stick to the message, girls. In 1988, I was at a pro-choice rally in Washington, DC. 300,000 women and me. But the event quickly evolved into your typical Jesse Jackson/Cher rant about every perceived evil that offended people face every day. And that was stupid. You can't fix everything by lumping them together.

Stick to the message.
By lcdrmandingonamvet

10/9/09 at 6:33 a.m.

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O'BUMBLER is happy Blacks have a national 17% unemployment rate. Its time for Black "tea-baggers" nationally, to create a national potest bus-tour, "DEPORT CRIMINAL & ILLEGAL MEXCICANS". These "foreign nationals" are stealing our jobs, selling our kids cocaine, retarding Black students' academic acheivements, nullifying our votes, re-introducing comminicable diseases we've already cured, etc. Unfortunately, Black sell-outs like Obama, NABJ (print-video), NAACP, and Cong. Black Caucus-CBC-comical blacks in congress, they fear political backlash from the illegals' support mafia; pope (godfater & brown pimp of oppression), LARAZA, Rev. Al Charlatan (Wal-Mart paid illegals' lobbyist, Home Depot, Nazis in US Chamber of Commerce, etc. Blacks nationally should RECALL all CBC members. It worked when Blacks tossed former congressman Wynn out of office, because Wynn voted for Iraq-NAM.
By afveteran

10/9/09 at 7:18 a.m.

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The only way to deal with violent criminals is to upgrade the wonderful criminal justice system in place, to a harsher penalty phase system. Upgrade the penalties and lock away the criminals is a lot better than holding parking lot rallies like this one, which do nothing to revamp any system. Lots of hot air for nothing.
By JohnDeaux

10/9/09 at 9:16 a.m.

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Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto presides over a bunch of indolent prosecutors who would rather negotiate a case that hold criminals to justice.

Can the phony Cortez-Masto give us just one example of any of her prosecutors prosecuting anyone for any crime against a woman involving sexual assault, kidnapping, assault, battery or domestic violence?
By goingbust

10/9/09 at 10:08 a.m.

Comment removed by staff.
By CityCenterGirl

10/9/09 at 10:18 a.m.

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Though I'm all for the the cause, I would have to agree with afveteran - and lcdrmandingonamvet, you are so funny - Blame all your problems on the Blacks & Mexicans - Your post sounds like another Glenn Beck reject. You are 1 of the reasons it's difficult to live in this world. Try working on the hate deep within your soul - It sure would lead to a better tomorrow where you wont have to blame Blacks & Mexicans for every problem that goes on in the world specifically Las Vegas.
By RyMan

10/16/09 at 4:33 a.m.

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For afvetern and CityCenterGirl, we already have the largest prison population in the world both in number and per capita. Are you both really naive enough to think that rapists think about prison before they commit their act of violence? Do you really believe there are people in this world that have a story that goes, "Well, I was going to rape her, but then I thought better about it 'cuz 20 years is along time!" Punishment isn't enough. We need to stop the environment and culture that allows these acts to propagate. And that's what these events are about: Informing young people how to make sound choices and to stand together for their rights as human beings. And yes, with that comes the frickin' Vagina Warriors poetry, but I would rather deal with that than go back 50 years.
We can do more to change the world with how we raise our children than how we punish our adults.
By sexy2utoooo

10/19/09 at 12:03 a.m.

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This is where you start to make the change! Why can't we receive the help and protection deserved? Because we have folks like masto who will say one thing to sooth us, and pass a draft behind our backs! Isn't it one of our Human rights Mrs. Masto, to be protected? Masto says one thing to cool the people but if you look at the assembly meetings this AG is all for everything against woman's rights and ignores the obvious (human rights). I would not vote for this fraud queen if she were the only option. These things can be stopped, if these cons in office stop having open public meetings then closing the doors on victims who want to speak and make a difference. They go back to their offices and deem victims crazy because they have a voice and a desire to be heard. These so-called advocates will not rescue a paper bag either, all they do is agree for fear they won't get a grant after years of sucking up! The real issue is getting your voice heard loud and clear, because she will only come to a rally to keep you from coming to her office and seem (emphasis added) to care! Masto only enforces laws that will get her a front page! What can she put in writing and actually mean and satisfy the people, without looking for glory? Look at the assembly meeting minutes and see for your self. She is a con! I wish I had been there to speak to her and ask why she barred victims from a public meeting, and she has a policy established to hold those accountable for barring the public from open public meetings! What a HYPOCRITE!
By sexy2utoooo

10/19/09 at 12:04 a.m.

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Masto is a fake and a con, wannabe tough crusader. She does not care especially if she is part of the victims of crime ring of crooks that has funneled money through the program over the years because it is unverifiable and says the program cannot be investigated for fraud, yet, she finds one thief who learned from the coordinator thief and ignores the others. Why and how is this when the evidence is right beneath your nose? These are people hurting victims all over again. Oh, I forgot she signs off on the checks for the fraud artist and this would be too embarrassing for her image! Victims complain to this office all the time about every issue with violence and rape against woman and Masto's ombudsman kareen is just as fake, she claims no knowledge of the very programs she gives grants to, yet, she is the ombudsman for victims. how many of you knew that if your a rape victim, and lets just say you went on a date with a man, and he raped you, and you had substantial medical bills, you would not be eligible for compensation or assistance because it would be considered "Contributory conduct," and yes all Masto wanted to do is clean up the language in order to approve it! Masto went along with the idiotic passing of a draft in secrecy on august 11th 2009 during a Board of examiners meeting and approved this crap draft? This changes the lives of victims of any kind and is very unconstitutional to do so with out the votes of victims. That's' right it was passed in secrecy yet it was a public meeting and folks were barred! You can find the now approved draft on the VOCP website, although the coordinator will change it every week to meet his needs when dealing with appeals.
By sexy2utoooo

10/19/09 at 12:08 a.m.

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Dear editor if you want people to read the truth stop removing it!